Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 10 pages
of 10
English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name
Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who…
English, Scottish, Irish surname
"mind, intellect; son of Aodh"
Part of the next generation of preppy H-beginning surnames. Once Harrison, Hudson, and Holden are no longer fresh, expect to hear more little boys being called Hughes, Hutch, and Henderson on the…
Wright is a masculine name that originated as an English occupational surname referring to a craftsman or builder—specifically a woodworker or carpenter (from the Old English "wyrhta," meaning…
English
"fortified enclosure"
Burton originated as a habitation surname that now feels like a appropriate first. Actor Richard Burton, two-time husband of Elizabeth Taylor, was the most famous bearer. Burtie makes an adorable…
Arabic, Spanish
"swooping eagle; meadow"
Another astral name, this one relating to one of the largest and brightest stars in the heavens, is popular in Scandinavia and Spain, where it ranks among the Top 50 girls' names . Although still…
Welsh
"strong lord"
A classic Welsh name, softer than Griffin and friendlier to spell than Gruffudd - that hasn't had as much love as it deserves elsewhere. Namesakes range from medieval kings to the philanthropist…
English surname
"person living near town gates"
Reality TV star Raven Gates gave her on-trend s-ending surname to her son, named Gates Zev. Gates joins an impressive lineup of celebrity babies with similar names, including Hillary Duff's Banks and…
"dweller by the wood"
With the current taste for last names first, this sounds a lot cooler than Shawn; it also has creative connections to the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, novelist Irwin Shaw, and Big…
"keeper of the garden"
Surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options.
"descendant of Moses"
This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies…
Color name
This color name, spelled either Gray or Grey is rapidly catching on. Actress Jenny von Oy recently called her daughter Gray Audrey.
"pasture, meadow"
The original brief, breezy name is somewhat out of favor now even as a middle name. The Leigh spelling has more substance and is more identifiable as female.
English occupational name
"weaver"
This pleasant single-syllable surname might be especially appealing to someone involved with the internet (and who isn't?)--even if some others might see it as a drawback. Webb is one of those names…
"granary"
Garner is an unncommon word and surname with some prospect of garnering popularity, especially now that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have given it to son Samuel as his middle name, and Jessica…
French
"northerner"
Somehow more modern and likable than Morris or Doris.
Scottish diminutive of Alexander
"defending men"
Sanders is one of the S-ending surnames gaining traction as a first name for boys in the US. It jumped nearly 2000 points in popularity this year.
Diminutive of Rachel or Raymond; word name
Most female Rays used to spell their names Rae, but now the Ray Charles, ray-of-sunshine way is cool for both genders. Ray was used for 26 baby girls last year in the US - compared to over 300 boys.…
"someone who lives in a hollow; strong and hearty"
This name projects a sense of well-being, as in "hale and hearty", while also having a nature-adjacent meaning, referring to someone who lives near a hollow, a nook, or a remote area of land. Rhyming…
English variation of Hywel, an eminent Welsh king
A familiar and usable last name turned first. Or you could look at it as a homophone of the verb howl, which gives it a wilder feel.
Matthews is primarily known as an Anglo-Saxon surname derived from the given name Matthew, which comes from the Hebrew name Matityahu, meaning "gift of Yahweh" or "gift of God." As a first name,…
